They belted out La Marseillaise, and waved their tricolours, and the President of the French Republic watched on. International sport was back in Paris.

What unfolded on the field was both extremely trivial and highly important. Trivial because it was a game. Important because it was a statement of defiance after the deadly attacks of November 13 unfolded outside the Stade de France.

There was a game inside the occasion, of course, and a nail-biting one at that. It came down to the final kick, a scruffy, scuffed drop goal attempt by Sergio Parisse, the totemic No 8 and captain of Italy. Indomitable all afternoon, he was finally reduced to hanging his head forlornly having placed more faith in his right boot than reason permitted.

The hero of the piece was French fly-half Jules Plisson, who, from wide on the right and close to the halfway line, sent the ball through the posts with five minutes remaining. His long-range perfection gave France the two-point lead that ultimately separated the sides.

It also sealed a winning start for new national coach Guy Noves. His revamped team clearly had instructions to play with more flair – glimpses of that were apparent in fits and starts – though the new dawn hardly lit up the pitch under Paris' grey skies.

Indeed, the Italians were 18-10 up with 20 minutes to go, a shock victory within reach, before winger Hugo Bonneval scored an important try for France. Plisson converted. And added a penalty. That was 20-18 to France. But Kelly Haimona kicked Italy ahead again: 20-21. Then Plisson, making a mockery of others' awful place kicking in the first half, struck his decisive, long blow.

The crowd was a tough master. They offered applause only on merit. For long periods there was little more than a rustle of noise. There were a few crescendos, notably for the sevens specialist, the big, wriggling wing, Virimi Vakatawa, scorer of the match's first try on his debut. The Fijian-born star had not even played a XV's game for more than a year.

'We only had a week to work on things,' said Noves afterwards. 'I wouldn't say we are starting from zero, but this is only the beginning.' It was a reference to how much improvement he feels is required after Philippe Saint-Andre's regime ended limply in the World Cup.

While France squeezed to victory, there was a sense of relief off the field, too.

There undercover police officers mingled with the 64,000-strong crowd before and during the match, their identity only revealed through the wires that ran up their sleeves. What we could not see were the telescopic batons, as well as pistols, they are now allowed to carry on and off duty.

With two check points – one 50 yards from the ground, the other at the gates – queues snaked a long way across the concourse as kick-off drew near. The checks were politely conducted; the crowd were patient, knowing that no risks could be taken.

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French President Francois Hollande was among those in attendance in the first match held at the Stade de France since the Paris attacks

Virimi Vakatawa celebrates after scoring the opening try of the 2016 Six Nations - with a score against Italy in the this year's curtain-raiser

The powerful Fijian-born winger touched down in the corner to score early on for the hosts at the Stade de France

The 23-year-old (centre) is congratulated by his France team-mates during Saturday's encounter in Paris

Italy responded with a try of their own on 25 minutes when captain Sergio Parisse crashed through to score

The veteran forward looks a little bit dazed after scoring but was back on his feet shortly after giving the visitors an 8-3 lead

However, the hosts rallied back in the first half as Damien Chouly (left) crossed the whitewash to score their second try

The powerful 30-year-old fended off an Italian tackle to score in the corner on 32 minutes

Italy fly-half Carlo Canna misses a penalty in the first half as his kicking display is a poor one for the visitors

All car boots of vehicles entering the stadium were searched, and drivers and passengers were asked to get out for body searches.

Outside in the bars and restaurants the atmosphere was relaxed. At the French Brasserie hung the blue No 5 shirt of Olivier Merle, the giant lock known as Le Massif Central. He is a regular visitor on match days.

Business at this café has been hit hard since their 18 staff were evacuated from there on that terrible night in November. But yesterday owner Franc Olivier, taking a swig of pastis and sharing bonhomie, declared his place as busy as usual.

'I had no fears about today,' he said. 'We have to get on with life.'

However, the 23-year-old redeemed him in the second half with a try to put the Italians 18-10 ahead after converting his own effort

France brought the scoreline to within a point when wing Hugo Bonneval (right) dived over to score a try before Plisson's conversion

The increase in security was palpable, with 1,200 security personnel in attendance, including snipers with guns across their chest. The man responsible for coordinating security in the stadium was the French Rugby Federation's Robert Broussard, a former elite police special ops commander. He turns 80 in April, whose advanced age perhaps reveals how relaxed rugby has been about security in the past.

But it was a day on which France showed she could again be trusted to host major sport. That will be a reassurance to the first set of England fans to travel to the French capital, for the Chelsea match against PSG a week on Tuesday, before the France-England rugby in this stadium on March 19.

This weekend France can celebrate a double victory, one more important than the other.

Parisse looks crestfallen as a rush of blood to the head saw him try to be the hero for Italy with an audacious drop goal that missed

Italy's No 8 dragged his drop-goal attempt wide of the left upright with the last kick of the match at the Stade de France

Parisse's (centre) disappointment is set among a backdrop of happy France players and supporters as they celebrate a narrow win